Pay Less, Give More - The Faith-Driven CPA
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Episode Description
On this episode of the On The Rise Podcast's Faith Driven Leaders series, host Nick Stromwall talks with Ryan Carriere, CPA and founder of Carriere Tax Consulting, who estimates he's saved clients over $10 million in taxes. Ryan traces his path from corporate accounting to real estate investing and tax advisory, and shares the strategies he uses for high-income earners — the short-term rental strategy, real estate professional status, cost segregation, and more. He also opens up about his faith: how Ephesians 2 made grace real to him as a gift rather than works, why he left a respected firm for "three freedoms," and how he views tax savings through a lens of stewardship. Practical, faith-centered, and full of actionable ideas.
Summary
A CPA who fell in love with real estate.
After earning his CPA at Honeywell, Ryan moved into public accounting and discovered real estate through BiggerPockets and Rich Dad Poor Dad. His first house hack in 2017 — living downstairs, renting bedrooms (and even an Airbnb master) upstairs — launched a portfolio and a career shift toward real estate tax.
Reducing taxes is a "patriotic duty."
Echoing Tom Wheelwright, Ryan agrees you should pay what you legally owe — but the tax code rewards behavior the government wants: employing people, providing housing, holding real estate. Paying less usually means you're doing the things the code incentivizes.
Strategy depends on your stage of life.
Aggressive tax planning makes the most sense for high earners. For those early in their careers who aren't paying much tax yet, Ryan advises focusing on growing income, skills, and network first.
Grace made his faith real.
Raised Baptist and "dedicating his life" repeatedly at camps without it sticking, Ryan's turning point came reading Ephesians 2:8-9 — salvation as a free gift received, not works earned. For a driven, "eat what you kill" personality, that reframing was revolutionary.
He left the firm for three freedoms.
Ryan started his own practice pursuing financial freedom (earning and giving more), time freedom (controlling his own schedule), and relationship freedom (choosing clients, vendors, and even the ability to appear on a faith-based podcast).
Faith shows up in the daily details.
He prays for strength, wisdom, and good-fit clients, and leads with a service mindset — being honest when he doesn't know an answer rather than projecting false authority, and genuinely caring for clients (several now pray for him and his family).
You're a better steward than the government.
Ryan's stewardship view: someone who earned their money will steward it better than a government carrying tens of trillions in debt. He frames giving first — via tools like a donor-advised fund, charitable "bunching," and donating appreciated stock — as both tax-efficient and God-honoring.
Five go-to strategies.
Ryan's toolkit: the short-term rental strategy (used by 80%+ of his clients), real estate professional status, cost segregation (with 100% bonus depreciation in 2026), the "1031 light," and hiring your kids — which can fund a Roth IRA toward "$100K by the time they leave the house" plus real work experience.
Resources
Website: carrieretaxconsulting.com
